It' hard for us, as we still think of ourselves as a big club, and we get mocked everytime we go to Anfield with the haven't won their since 1999 (which shows Liverpool fans still see us as a big club as well, as they are surprised we are at the point) and these big games are signifiers that we are not. However as you say, the far bigger problem we have had is that we don't win enough games against the rest, particularly away from home. We've had numerous seasons now where we win 2 or 3 away games. Write the top 6 off, the 2 or 3 against the rest is poor. If we really want to differentiate ourselves from them, we need to be winning at least half of those games. That return in results will be a lot quicker and easier than trying to win games at the top 6.
If we were to say win 7, draw 3 lose 4 of those games we would probably add 10-15 points on our end of season total. That takes us last season from 8th to 6th. This season we probably finish 4-6th. We can still lose most of the games away at the top 6 teams and show real progress.
For Gomes he is sort of emblematic of this really. There's no doubt he's played brilliantly in big games, but he doesnt follow it up every week. The lad I saw at Anfield run the midfield, should be the best player on the pitch most games and the truth is he isn't. Maybe it's mental with him, but more likely I think it's tactial. He has all the attributes to beat the press when sides come at him. When players are cuter though, stand off him a bit etc he has been found wanting.
I know you're into your cricket a lot, and the similarity to me is with the one day game/test matches. Hoggard was a very good test match bowler, but once you removed the swinging ball, the 3 slips, the batsman who don't defend decent balls, he struggled.
Maybe Gomes works it out, and I hope so. But he hasn't yet.